Student Blogger: Carly Galbreth

One of the most frequent questions I was asked as a child was “what do you want to be when you grow up?” I used to have an immediate answer–from teacher to reporter to anyone famous–but as I aged, I dreaded the question. I loved so many things, and I was scared to commit to one career path. Now, I've come to find more peace in this uncertainty.

I’m so excited to share another DITL! This time, it’s the tech week version! Since this was the first tech of the summer, it's not quite as hectic as changeover (72 hours to go from one show to the next) will be, but it's a great intro to how professional tech functions! Here is what the Tuesday before we opened on Wednesday consisted of for me:

Ever wonder what a summer stock internship looks like? This summer, I’m the electrics intern at Peterborough Players in New Hampshire. I spend my days working on the upcoming shows and spend my nights in a cabin on the theater’s campus. Here’s what a typical day in my life looks like when there is not a show running and we aren’t in tech.

College opens many opportunities. Some of them are enriching, like performances and internships. Others, like cheating and using artificial intelligence, can jeopardize learning. The fear of punishment from professors and the university are threatening, but my greatest motivation against cheating is my desire to be prepared after graduation.

Two months into college, I auditioned for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I was not cast in the show. After moving on from the frustration of rejection, I began to say “yes” to every opportunity that presented itself. These led to new experiences, a job, and an exciting internship! Read this article to learn about a few of my 'Yes's.

No one warns you about how difficult finals are in college (or at least I wasn't warned). Not only are they academically challenging, but the end of the year approaches, all you want to do is spend time with your friends and enjoy the sunny weather. Here's my official warning to you, as well as some advice on how you will make it to the other side!

How do a broken pit, unfinished set, and a sick actor result in six incredible performances of Urinetown (the musical!)? Love, determination, and a bit of theatre magic!

I obviously learn a lot about theatre from my theatre and music classes, but I’ve discovered the greatest beauty of a liberal arts education are the unexpected moments in which I experience theatre outside of the arts building. These experiences are helping me realize how applicable theatre is in all aspects of life. People are quick to criticize artistic and performance degrees, saying they produce false hopes that result in unemployment. However, I know my theatre degree will be relevant forever, even if I don’t pursue performing.

Juggling classes, rehearsals, work, and friendships can be very difficult in college, especially as a theatre major. This semester, I’m taking two theatre classes, two politics classes, two voice lessons, and I’m singing in choir. In addition to the time I spend physically in classes, each demands significant work outside of class. Over the past semester, I’ve developed a few tools that help me prioritize all of my responsibilities that I want to share.

I had no idea what I was signing up for when I agreed to be the assistant stage manager for a workshop at my university, Wake Forest.

I blinked, and I’m four weeks into my second semester of freshman year at Wake Forest University. Already, I've been assistant stage manager of a professional workshop and started a new job in the scene shop. I have so many exciting theatre opportunities on the horizon in the coming months!